When a cable is connected to another cable, it is customary to strip back the insulation from each cable to expose the respective underlying conductors to make the connection. It is also desirable to thereafter environmentally protect the connection, particularly against moisture.
A number of approaches have been developed to environmentally protect an electrical connection. One advantageous way is to use a gel-filled casing, wherein the gel surrounds the exposed connection for preventing contact with water. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,763,835 and 5,828,005 both to Huynh-Ba et al. disclose a gel-filled casing having generally rectangularly shaped lower and upper housing portions joined along side edges by a living hinge. First and second bodies of sealing gel are in respective interiors of the lower and upper housing portions. The gel-filled casing includes closure members for securing the lower and upper housing portions in a fully closed position with the first and second bodies of sealing gel being brought together and surrounding an electrical connection positioned within the gel-filled casing.
Another gel-filled casing is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,347,084 and 5,525,073 both to Roney et al. The casing also includes lower and upper housing portions connected by a hinge. The casing further includes end seals which break away upon the filling of the interior of the lower and upper housing portions with a sealing gel. Closure members secure the lower and upper housing portions in a fully closed position with the sealing gel being brought together and surrounding an electrical connection positioned within the gel-filled casing.
Similar gel-filled casings are further disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,397,859 and 5,561,269 to Robertson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,210 to Yabe, U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,882 to Yokoyama et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,089 to Sampson.
The gel-filled casings disclosed in the above referenced patents are either opened or fully closed. This may cause difficulty in shipping. If the gel-filled casing is shipped in the fully closed position, there may be problems separating the gel-filled bodies after they contact one another. If the gel-filled casing is shipped in the fully open position, the exposed gel-filled bodies may have to be protected from contacting the packaging material. Consequently, there is a need for a gel-filled casing that avoids these difficulties.